Yes, you're entitled to a free portrait of the Queen. But should you get one?

It's a truth universally acknowledged that a hipster with a sniff of entitlement will jump on a taxpayer-funded bandwagon for free ironic memorabilia.

And so it was, on Thursday, when the emails started rolling in to electorate offices across the inner suburbs after an article in Vice alerted its readers to the bizarre fact that all Australians are entitled to a free portrait of the Queen.

A more expensive portrait of the Queen.

That's right. Under the federal Constituents Request Program, those who wish to possess a portrait of Elizabeth II, or one of QE2 with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, or flags, or booklets on our flags and national symbols, or recordings of the national anthem, can simply write to their local federal MP and request them to be sent.

Of course, until this week, those requests – especially for portraits – were made on very rare occasions, usually by community organisations with a wish to visually acknowledge the reigning monarch.

Advertisement

But the Vice article took the existence of this hilarious free stuff viral, and, as sure as night follows day, within hours electorate offices were being swamped with hundreds of requests.

The inner Sydney offices of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and Labor's Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese, had each received dozens of emails.

Everyone can have a photo of the Queen in their home. Credit:Ben Grubb

Even state MPs have received emails asking for portraits – despite not providing them.

Independent state MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich said his office had received about 40 requests for portraits. And while it might be seen as a bit of fun for constituents, he said for officers trying to get on with the job it was an unwelcome distraction.

"I think this Vice article has become the bane of electorate officers across Australia this week," he said.

"It’s obviously a service federal MPs can provide. I don’t think it is the most essential or important service they provide."

Whether state or federal, he said, "electorate officers do amazing work and are often extremely stressed".

"I think the big push this week would have been extremely frustrating, given the people in need our officers spend so much time supporting."

Mr Albanese said his office would honour the requests.

"It's there. It's an entitlement. I think for people who genuinely want to do something with that or the flags program, a lot of it was put to use."

Loading

He wouldn't be drawn on whether this use of the program was a waste of time and taxpayers' money.

But would he use the current enthusiasm as an opportunity to engage young voters? "Everything's an opportunity," he said.

A staff member at Mr Albanese's Grayndler office in Sydney's inner west said on Thursday afternoon they'd had to order about 100 portraits so far that day.

To save on postage costs, constituents are being asked to pick the portraits up from the office.

"It’s all very tongue in cheek," he said of the emails they were receiving.

Peter FitzSimons, chairman of the Australian Republic Movement (and Fairfax Media columnist), said he wasn't troubled by the rush for Queen Elizabeth portraits.

On the contrary, he said: "I take heart from the whole story.

"Firstly, how rare it was, up until a week ago, for anyone to want a portrait of the Queen. And secondly, the high hilarity with which the news is greeted, that we are all entitled to such a portrait."

Federal Labor MP for Gellibrand in Victoria, Tim Watts, described it in a Facebook post as a "mass practical joke" that proves "the monarchy is broken" and the idea of a Queen of Australia is "a punchline for most Aussies".

He said he'd be using the moment as an opportunity to direct constituents to sign up to the Australian Republic Movement.